Better than that
by mancer
Summary: A little encounter between Katie Bell and a Slytherin Quidditch captain Marcus Flint at a Yule Ball. This was just a little idea I got after reading 'Detained' by amazing Jenszabo and realizing there is such a strong chemistry between those two characters and very few Katie/Marcus stories.


25th December 1994

Yule Ball

Hogwarts during Christmas holidays has never been more crowded. This year's Triwizard Tournament is a once in a lifetime occasion after all. And with it comes the duty of hosting the traditional Yule Ball for the students of participating schools on Christmas Day. Professor Flitwick took this duty to represent the school in the best possible way very seriously, and started decorating two days before the actual event. As a result the Great Hall looked even fancier and more marvellous than any other Christmas. Other than the usual giant Christmas tree in the middle of the room, there were large ice statues and icicles on every corner, lanterns hanging from the thin air, and the ceiling that was enchanted to make it look like it was snowing. The tables were strategically placed near the corners to make room for dancing and were dressed into festive colours and filled with all sorts of delicious dishes.

It was nearly midnight and the dance floor was still packed with students, most of them couples, slow dancing to a Weird Sisters song that was softly playing on the small stage in the front. There was only a large group of Hufflepuffs that sat at the table discussing some 6th years student's peculiar dance moves and a bunch of Slytherin boys standing around a big punch bowl trying to pour a whole bottle of fire whiskey into it without the professors noticing.

Katie Bell sat alone at the table nearest the entrance, she didn't have a date that night and no one has even bothered to ask her to dance yet. Either it was because her charming best friends drove all the attention of the potential admirers to themselves, or simply because the white dress made her blend into the décor, she wasn't quite sure. Thinking it was probably for the best as she wasn't really one for dancing anyway, she watched all the unusual couples that formed on the dance floor in front of her. She snickered quietly at the sight of Dumbledore trying to dance with Madame Maxime and the way his face turned into a painful grimace every time she stepped on his foot or the way Roger Davies kept violently twirling Fleur Delacour around like a rag doll. The way Viktor Krum danced reminded Katie of a gorilla she once saw at the London Zoo, trying to get the females attention while carrying bananas in both hands and feet. Katie thought he got lucky, Hermione really stood out with absolute distinctness in the soft lights among the moving crowd. She made quite a few heads turn her way throughout the evening.

As her eyes continued to scan the mass she couldn't help feeling like a third wheel as soon as she saw one of her best friends, Angelina, dance with her fellow teammate Fred Weasley. It was hard to think that both Angelina and Alicia, came to the ball without dates as well. "It will be fun" she remembered them saying, "all three of us can come together and dance with as many guys as we please." But being so easy-going and popular, the two of them were soon surrounded by suitors. Angelina only stuck to one to be precise. Alicia has on the other hand kept her word and has been changing her dance partners quite regularly. She already managed to dance with George, Lee Jordan, Dean Thomas, two random Durmstrang fellas and seemed to enjoy herself very much indeed.

On her way to get a new drink she made eye contact with Lee Jordan who was standing right next to the spiked punch bowl.

"Enjoying the night, Katie?" he smiled knowingly. She shrugged as she discreetly tried to pour a cup without any staff member noticing.

"Not really, but having something stronger than this would make my night much better" she said hoping Lee would catch her drift.

"Well if I remember correctly, I think Fred and George keep some weird smelling liquor somewhere in their dorm room. We can come get it, what do you think?" She was fond of Lee, but the thought of drinking anything from Fred and George was a hard pass. Merlin knows what horrifying side effects that strange smelling liquor would have. Not to mention Lee was the worst kind of a drunk – the flirt. Definitely not the kind of company she was seeking right now.

"No, it's fine, I think I would much rather drink this than anything from Fred and George, now wouldn't you say?" she laughed and Lee soon joined.

"True. But still I should go get it just to test it's power on Crabbe, Goyle or someone of similar intellect. Catch you later, Katie." And with that he vanished into the crowd heading toward the double doors. _Well, that was the closest I got to being asked to dance tonight_, she thought.

Katie was not that ugly, in fact, she was rather attractive, but plain and too restrained for anyone to notice. Not the type the teenage boys usually fall in love at first sight with. More of the type that would blend into the wall unless she was wearing a neon coloured dress. At least that would make her invisible to the shallow eyes of Slytherin classmates as well. If there was something or rather someone she despised at Hogwarts, it had to be the Slytherin Quidditch team. Especially Adrian Pucey, Graham Montague and the worst of them all, that annoying sod Marcus Flint. They made the Gryffindor-Slytherin matches a living hell. Those three particularly took a great pleasure in bullying those they deemed weak or below them, which was mainly her and her fellow teammates. It was also commonly known they cheated constantly which to Katie's dismay often led to a visit to the Hospital Wing.

Sipping on her secret ingredient punch left her feeling sweltering and a bit tipsy. With the intention of getting some fresh air she got out of the spot she has been glued to for the past three hours. As she slipped through the Main Gate she passed a few kissing couples hiding in the dark corners of the castle. She couldn't believe so many people could get past professor Snape without getting caught, that man had a reputation to maintain after all. But to be fair, if he somehow managed to catch all the students that were currently lurking around the castle doing Merlin knows what, she would be genuinely impressed. Professor Snape may be a tough one to play Hide and seek against, but there were simply too many places to hide.

Katie very soon regretted leaving the Great Hall without a coat in the middle of a chilly December evening, but reminded herself that a bit of a cold breeze was still better than having to breathe the stuffy air with so many sweaty students around. She thought if only she had brought her copy of _Beating the Bludgers - A Study of Defensive Strategies in Quidditch_ with her, it would both entertain and benefit her at the same time. She was walking through the courtyard aimlessly when she heard someone to her right she previously didn't spot slowly approach her.

"What are you doing here, Bell?" a low male voice asked. She turned her head abruptly to see the source of the harsh remark was none other than the Quidditch captain of the opponent team and Slytherin menace, Marcus Flint.

"Minding my own business, Flint. You should try it some time," she hoped that would make him stop and find some other poor girl to bother instead, but it hardly ever did. Especially when she seemed as alone and vulnerable as at that moment.

Everyone knew Marcus Flint, the Hogwarts legend, the easily most fouled Quidditch player in history, the brute, the guy who repeated 7th year twice already, the guy who still made Katie's heart beat faster every time he spoke to her, even though everything he ever said to her was an insult. Not many people would suspect he had an ulterior motive for coming to her. Marcus' intents always seemed very clear - to drive her mad, after all it was what the proper Slytherin-Gryffindor interaction was expected to be about. But the other intent, perhaps too subtle even for Marcus to notice, was to get Katie's attention even if just for a short while.

"I don't know, it looks more like you're hoping to snog some innocent 3rd years minding their own business to me," he remarked with a smirk. To some girls this would probably seem like a valid reason to break down and cry, coming from someone as vicious as Marcus Flint, but Katie learnt to not take those remarks seriously any more. As a matter of fact, during the last five years she had heard so many she was actually becoming very proficient in arguing with him, the name-calling and using witty counter attacks were just the tip of an iceberg.

"Oh you didn't have to tell me about _your_ plans for the evening, I don't really care. Besides, the real question is what are _you_ doing here? Weren't you supposed to graduate like 3 years ago? You really must love Hogwarts. Or is it you like to bully the first years so much that you _intentionally_ fail the NEWTs every year?" she said, withholding a giggle. He on the other hand was smiling plainly, there were not many things anyone could say that would injure his ego. But Katie was determined to try. After all, the few of the things she was known for and good at was Quidditch, being sarcastic and insulting Marcus Flint. Too bad Marcus excelled in those activities just as much as she did.

"You know, it is probably illegal, as you are nearly old enough to be father to some of those kids," she continued.

His smile turned into a smirk and it was growing larger. He would never admit it, but somewhere along the way he actually got quite fond of these little quarrels with Katie.

"I just came to see if you ever wear something other than those hideous baggy sweaters you apparently steal from your grandparents. Merlin, I hope you didn't steal granny's underwear as well." Katie didn't really think anyone has ever noticed what she was wearing, but obviously she was dead wrong. Katie tried hard to not think about Marcus Flint imagining her in her baggy sweater or any other piece of clothing for that matter, as it probably made her blush and the last thing she wanted was for Marcus Flint to think she was blushing because of something he said. But he just did, and he also made her nervous. And even though Katie would not admit it in a million years, his remark sparked a tiny bit of hope that _maybe_ this was just Marcus' subtle way of showing he fancied her, however strange that sounded.

"I never would have guessed you were such a fashionista in your spare time, Flint. I would have asked for your opinion on what to wear to the Yule Ball." The thought of Marcus Flint as a fashion fan made her chuckle a bit more than she intended.

"You should have, I would've told you that those man shoulders of yours and the open shoulder dress was a really bad idea." And that tiny bit of hope was gone. Katie tilted her head, looking down at her hands resting on the stone railing. A new kind of feeling washed over her instead. A one she never actually experienced after hearing one of his insults, almost like a disappointment.

He thought he hit the nerve there, he always liked to push her limits just to see what made her mad. The fact that he thought Katie Bell was one of the prettiest witches at Hogwarts was a fact no one really had to hear about. So he rather made fun of her, as a good Slytherin he was, to make sure no one found out. But deep down Marcus knew he and Katie tease each other because there is something between them, some emotion other than hate and contempt, however small it may seem. A hidden interest in each other, or perhaps even an infatuation. That's why their squabbles usually last for ages. That's why they never run out of things to say to each other. That's why they both enjoy it immensely.

"You shouldn't grin so much with those hideous teeth, it scares even the ugliest Slytherin girls away, you know," she said calmly with evident irritation in her voice as she turned around to face him. _Real classy, Katie_, she thought. _Now you're at the same level of low, I hope you're proud. _

"And yet, you are still talking to me." Marcus could almost sense her disdain a mile off, but he also knew underneath it there was a very insecure young witch who desperately craved his attention in any form. He turned his face a bit to the side to get a better look of her bare shoulders, which shuddered a bit in the chilly winter air.

"We are not talking - this isn't a conversation. I'm just defending myself. It's not my fault you like to keep making fun of everyone," she sighed almost resigned, it really was futile to argue with Marcus however entertaining it might have been.

"Not everyone. I just like making fun of dateless Gryffindor girls on the Yule Ball night. No Gryff bloke thought you were pretty enough to be seen with?" He made a step closer to her so they were standing just a several inches away from each other now. Katie tried to stop herself from thinking about how good he smelled, but in vain. She breathed out heavily as she looked back at the castle and remembered the first time she saw him that night in his elegant and expensive-looking black and emerald suit. It was the first time she noticed how soft his eyes looked in the candle lights, or that emerald and black really were his colours, or that he was, no matter how much she wanted to repress that thought, in fact extremely handsome.

"Funny that you mentioned it, Flint. I haven't seen your date all night either." She looked back at him and her numb mind finally began to accept the possibility that she may have been wandering outside the castle on her own in hopes she would run into him.


End file.
